Tag Archives: Health

Amoena: A Sexy Mastectomy Lingerie Company.

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If you are one of the many women who has had cancer it will have affected everything from your bank account to your social life. Frost has discovered Amoena, a sexy lingerie line for women who have had a mastectomy.

Perfect for those romantic encounters, leading mastectomy-wear specialist Amoena has unveiled a gorgeous new Parisian-inspired collection – French Touch.

Available in two ranges, Juliette and Violette, the French Touch collection is designed for women who like to wear the very best lingerie and won’t let breast surgery stand in their way.

The range combines the finest fabrics with delicate decorative touches and provocative styling, for a subtle but sexy look. It includes four mastectomy bras and a choice of briefs, thongs and lace or tummy-control shorts.

Amoena questioned 1000 breast operated women who revealed that wearing glamorous lingerie makes them feel more attractive. Over 80% confirmed that wearing glamorous lingerie is still important to them following a mastectomy.

“Following breast surgery, women still want to look good, and it’s important for them to be able to find clothes that restore their body confidence,” says Amoena marketing manager, Rhoda White.

“We’re really excited about this lovely new collection. It will appeal to all those women who love to wear luxe lingerie and it is the perfect option for some Valentine’s romance.”

French Touch can be purchased online at www.amoena-online.co.uk, by mail order on 0845 072 4027, or from the company’s showroom in Hampshire.

From a Muffin Top to a Skinny Muffin

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From a Muffin Top to a Skinny Muffin

By Alison Clark, independent nutritionist and spokesperson for Europe’s no 1 healthy eating plan, Eurodiet.co.uk,gives advice on how to get rid of a muffin top.

What is a muffin top?

According to the Oxford Dictionary a muffin top is “a roll of fat visible above the top of a pair of women’s tight-fitting low-waisted trousers”. You might also call it spare tyre, love handles or back roll but either way, what most of us want to know is why is it there and how can we get rid of it?

In some cases, the only risk from the over spilling of flesh above the waistline is one of sinning against fashion. However, for many more this excess fat could be a sign of central obesity, indicating a real risk to future health.

As we are often reminded, being overweight is bad for your health. What many people don’t realise is that carrying extra fat around the middle of your body can put you at an even higher risk. This is because there are two types of fat with different characteristics: the fat carried under the skin, called subcutaneous, and the fat stored around the tummy surrounding the organs, which is called visceral fat. Visceral fat is the most dangerous, significantly increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

How do I know if I am at risk?

Get to know your body! Apple shaped people store more fat around the middle than pear shaped. It’s a good idea to make a habit of measuring your waist circumference – see the table below for the key limits.

Increased risk

Very high risk

Women

80 cm or more

88 cm or more

Men

94 cm or more

102 cm or more

To measure your waist accurately, use a soft tape measure and aim for halfway between your hip bone and your lowest rib. If you’re not sure, measure just above your belly button – the important thing is to always measure the same place so that you can keep track of any changes.

What can I do about it?

The only way to reduce fat is to lose weight! The best way to do this is with a combination of a balanced diet and regular exercise and the good news is that shrinking that muffin top won’t be the only benefit of adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, aim for at least five different ones every day to ensure that your body gets all the vitamins, minerals and fibre it needs. If you prefer a little help and want to go on a diet, try a high protein diet such as Eurodiet.co.uk, they have revered engineered foods normally associated with high carbs into high protein such as bread, pasta and risotto. Base your meals on wholegrain starchy carbohydrates to make sure that you have plenty of energy throughout the day. Include lean meat and fish and try some alternative protein sources for a change such as pulses and eggs.. Make sure you also include low fat dairy products in your meals to get the calcium your bones need. Avoid fatty, sugary, fried and salty foods and drink plenty of water.

Finally, in order to have a healthy lifestyle and lose the love handles, you will need to exercise. Although targeting your stomach with sit ups or crunches will help to tone the muscles in that area, it will not specifically reduce abdominal fat – you need to lose weight from your whole body. Start with 30 minutes a day or moderate activity and build up from there. If you are not sure then speak to a personal trainer or gym staff who will be able to advise you on the best exercises for you.

Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products.

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Cleaning your home can really damage your health, no, it’s not just an excuse. All of the chemicals in the cleaning products aren’t very good for you, and guess what else? It’s not good for the environment either. So Frost tested some environmentally friendly recycled cleaning products.

Easydo are a company who are creating a more sustainable society. Their aim is to produce everyday products using recycled materials under the Ecoforce brand. They manufacture as many products as possible in the EU and all their products are between 50-100% recycled. All of the products are also inexpensive. So there is no excuse not to switch.

They stop things being made from virgin material and, while doing so, save the environment. Here is what they make…

Ecoforce Recycled Clothes Line. 20 meters length and 30kg break strength. 89% recycled. This is a high class, well made clothes line. It is also green, which I like.

Dishmatic Fill & Clean. This is a great invention, I really love this. The handle fills up with liquid then you just clean with the replaceable heavy duty sponge. It saves your hands. You can buy a three different refills and they all fit onto the DishMatic. The refills very easily click into place.

You cannot tell that the Ecoforce recycled clothes pegs are recycled. They are frost proof, have no springs so they won’t break, don’t leave peg stains and have a hurricane force grip. They come in different colours too. My clothes loved them, and the howling wind couldn’t win against them.

In the back of the packet Ecoforce says this; ‘Hanging out the washing is an easy way to reduce energy consumption. Each tumble drier load can release up to 2.6kg in CO2’. A brilliant reason to hang your clothes out. These pegs are also washable, metal free and have more grip than a standard peg. 93% recycled and are almost impossible to break.

Ecoforce also sell a peg basket. It comes with a 24 pack of pegs and is UV stable. 94% recycled. It has a handle, which is placed inside the basket to make it stack-able and save space. I love the design and how space aware it is. You can hang it up or have it on a shelf.

Ecoforce have a range of sponges. They are made from post industrial waste. They make the first scourer that is made from 100% recycled material. They are easy to use and handle. You can buy the heavy duty or the non-scratch one. They can be used anywhere in the house. I like the design of the sponges. They have a curve in them that makes them easy to use. They may be recyclable but they clean just as well as any other sponge.

Their scouring pads are great too. Very easy to clean with them.

They make quilted cloths that are ultra soft and made from a mixture of recycled cotton/viscose and synthetic fibres. They can be used on any surface: floors, glass, cars, wood, etc., They absorb well and do everything you could want in a cloth.

The quilted pockets trap dirt and they are machine washable.

Ecoforce dusters are made also made from a mixture of recycled cotton/viscose and synthetic fibres. They are 100% recycled and pick up dust like a dream.

The Ecoforce motto is: Ecoforce – eco products that work. They are not lying. Well made products, with great design that ease your conscious. Frost Loves.

To Order www.ecoforce.co.uk or call 020 8343 1010

EcoForce and Dishmatic are widely available in most supermarkets as well as Oxfam, Homebase and B & Q.

Seb Morgan’s Fitness Column

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Hello Frost Magazine readers

My name is Seb, and I am lucky enough to become the new columnist for Frost Magazine, bringing you news, but more importantly the truth and positive information about health and fitness, some of it may shock you and some may find it hard to believe, but it is the stuff you need to know.

A little about me, I am originally from South Wales, I was raised in the classic “spit and sawdust” gym environment, no heating-if you want to get warm then move more, if you want a shower-stand under the drip in the ceiling. Men with no education yet they could eat a 20kgs weight plate and tell you everything about the human body you need to know.

Playing rugby to a very high standard I went on to become county champion in rugby, swimming and athletics as well as competing in muay thai boxing and weight training.

I moved to London 10 years ago to go to drama school and have since been working as an actor and stage combat teacher, but also still doing my normal training. For many years friends would ask me advice on health and fitness and where possible would train with me, the problem being they would train WITH ME not by me, therefore they couldn’t keep up, remember I was training myself and they wanted to join in and gain my knowledge for free…no problem…but they had to keep up and they couldn’t and this would create a negative effect towards health and fitness and would go away thinking…there is no point, why should I bother. Sound familiar?

After hanging out with my friends from 4 gauge, I actually decided to become a fully qualified personal trainer, having completed the Premier Diploma in personal training and NASM (national academy of sports medicine) bridging-course, I can now advice ANYBODY on the health and fitness issues of everyday, but now my problem is as it may be for you, it seems fitness is not free.

Gym memberships, personal training fees, website membership, equipment, supplements, health low fat foods (which is something we are going to cover soon and you will be shocked) DVDs and magazines. it all adds up, not only that but the descriptions in magazines can be foreign and complicated to someone who is not familiar with exercise and normally it is awfully written….having researched many articles and trainers, a lot of the technique is wrong. Shocking and terrible.

So I am here to tell you the truth…not to tell you what to do, what to buy, where to go, but to educate, give positive information, and show you how you can do this, reach your goals and in the best way; free as possible.

So stay tuned and I look forward to being a part of you’re lives.

You can follow me on twitter @sebmorganfit or email me any questions that I will try to answer here, or in regards to personal training on info@sebmorganfitness.co.uk

Just remember guys, only the brave make the choice and stand by it.

Bupa launches new Fitness Assessment

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Bupa has launched a new Fitness Assessment which has been designed to help all athletes understand their fitness levels and improve their performance, from the advanced triathlete to the newly keen runner.

Previously, detailed fitness assessments were the preserve of professional athletes and Bupa’s new Fitness Assessment is the first of its kind to be made widely available to the public. The test analyses in detail the user’s fitness levels, then works with this information to identify the different types of training and exercise that will help them achieve their very best.

No matter what the fitness goal is, Bupa Fitness Assessment offers invaluable insight to improve performance. It has been developed to provide bespoke advice to amateur runners, cyclists and triathletes – or simply someone looking to use exercise as a means of losing excess weight.

Britain’s number one distance runner Mo Farah recently trialled the test and said: “I found the stats fascinating. I’ve only ever seen these types of test available for elite athletes, so it’s brilliant that everyone can now go along and find out how fit they are!”

The hour-long assessment, carried out at a specialist Bupa Centre, involves three key stages:

* A pre-fitness test to measure body composition and assess blood pressure and lung function
* A full fitness analysis, which consists of a cardio-respiratory fitness test on a cycle ergometer or treadmill, using detailed breath-by-breath gas analysis to calculate fitness levels and produce an individual o2 Max reading[1]
* A post-test consultation, which allows the user to benchmark their performance against peers and professional athletes. Advice on how to improve all round cardiovascular fitness is given as well as a comprehensive health and fitness action plan and results analysis.

The assessment is currently performed in the fitness rooms at Bupa Centres across the UK at a special introductory price of £149 (usual price £199). Further Information can be found at Bupa.co.uk/vo2max.

Dr Peter Mace, Assistant Medical Director of Bupa said: “By helping individuals understand their current exercise responses, the Fitness Assessment will give them a much clearer view of their strengths and weaknesses, but more importantly it will provide an indication of what they can do to improve their fitness and meet their goals. Bupa can ensure that you train the right way to get to where you want to be.”

Frost Loves…Modern Milk

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Modern Milk is smooth, creamy and delicious. Very natural and healthy. It is exactly what the names says, it is a better version of milk

Modern Milk comes in four flavours Smooth Coffee with a hint of Vanilla, Milk Chocolate with a hint of golden Caramel, Lush Banana and Honey and Ripe Strawberry and Raspberry. My favourite is a toss up between the Milk Chocolate and the Ripe Strawberry and Raspberry.

The Milk Chocolate is great if you are trying to diet, you can just have one of these instead of a chocolate bar. It takes the edge of and it has a hint of caramel. It’s rich but not too rich.

None of the drinks have a horrible aftertaste and after drinking Modern Milk I felt a lot healthier. They are like a snack all in one. The ultimate in a health drink.

The design is really good, they all have a different cow cartoon on them, and they all have ‘think differently’ written on them backwards. The way they open is cool too.

Frost loves Modern Milk.

Modern Milk is a delicious low fat dairy drink that has been created to get people excited about drinking milk again and encourage them to include it in their weekly diet to keep them healthier.

Many adults are not drinking enough milk and this can have an effect on health issues such as osteoporosis, obesity and tooth decay. Modern Milk contains extra calcium, added vitamin D and fibre and with these added health benefits can help to show that what makes you feel good on the inside, can also help make you look good on the outside.

Research confirms that vitamin D makes our bodies to absorb calcium. Lack of calcium  makes our bodies to increase the production of
synthase, a fatty acid enzyme that coverts calories into fat. Consequently the higher levels of vitamin D in the blood, the easier it is to lose weight.

Milk is an important source of nutrients for many age groups and can help your body operate properly; calcium – for strong bones,
carbohydrates – for energy, protein – for growth and healing processes. When hunger pangs strike, Modern Milk can help fill you up for longer so that you don’t snack. The calcium can also have a positive effect on your nails, teeth and hair playing a part in your weekly beauty regime.
 
TV’s Dr Hilary Jones endorses Modern Milk as a great low-fat, after-workout drink. He says milk is the nearest thing you can find to a totally complete food containing, as it does, a perfect balance of protein, minerals, vitamins, essential fats and carbohydrates.

Modern Milk is currently sold in Tesco Extra for just 0.99p and comes in four delicious flavours – Smooth Coffee with a hint of Vanilla, Milk Chocolate with a hint of golden Caramel, Lush Banana and Honey and Ripe Strawberry and Raspberry.
 

Five Steps to Losing Weight and Debt in the New Year.

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MMI offers practical advice for losing weight and debt in the New Year.

Every New Year, shedding weight and debt is at the top of the list for millions of people resolving to change for the better. According to a recent Times Report, these two are also among the most often broken resolutions.

While experts have offered numerous techniques and strategies for losing weight and paying down debt, the fundamental lifestyle change remains consistent for both – consume less.  Financial stability begins with spending less than you make, followed by paying more on what you owe.  Losing weight begins with consuming fewer calories, and becoming more active.

If you are among the millions vowing to finally achieve a healthy waistline and a healthy bottom-line, consider the following five steps:

  1. Make the commitment.  When considering any lifestyle adjustment, the first step is to decide – are you ready to make the commitment to do what it takes to improve your health and financial wellbeing?  Are you ready to accept responsibility for changing your situation?  Do you believe that you can and will change the way you make decisions about food and money? It isn’t until you can truthfully answer yes to these questions that you will be ready to face the challenges of creating a healthier physical and fiscal life.
  2. Create a plan.  Creating a budget and a meal plan starts with tracking – tracking expenses and tracking calories.  Consider carrying a pocket notebook for noting every penny spent and calorie consumed.  Review your results and look for areas where you should and can make cut backs.
  3. Develop SMART goals .  One of the most important pieces to being successful in these areas is to set clear goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, rewarding and trackable.  Remember to create short-term, or milestone, goals as well as a target accomplishment.  If your ultimate goal is to become debt free, celebrate when you pay off 25 percent.  The same goes with weight lost. If you aspire to lose 50lbs., acknowledge every 5 to 10lbs. as an accomplishment.
  4. Eliminate temptations.  Once you have a clear calorie and spending budget outlined, remove any obstacles that may hinder your success.  Don’t carry your credit cards in your wallet and don’t keep high calorie sweets in the house.  Leave your cards at home in a safe place and only take them out when you have a planned purchase and payoff strategy.  The same applied with food temptations.  If you know you’re going to be in an environment where you’ll be tempted to indulge, eat a light snack before you leave the house.
  5. Stay flexible. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see the pounds or debt melting away as quickly as you had hoped.  Change doesn’t happen overnight, and there are no quick fixes. The important thing is to remain flexible and committed. If you aren’t meeting your goals, revisit and adjust your plans as often as necessary.

Remember, you are human and set-backs are inevitable.  However, if you are truly committed to doing what it takes to meet your goals, you can accomplish anything.  To learn more about staying committed to your New Year’s resolutions, visit MoneyManagement.org and down New Beginnings , one of MMI’s free eBooks.

5 spiced double cooked quail with poached pears meyer lemon relish

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Five spiced double cooked quail with poached pears meyer lemon relish

Quail

Bone quails whole marinate in Chinese five spice for 24 hours.

Steam quails for 3 minutes and blast chill

Meyer lemon relish

6 each meyer lemons

2 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 cooking apple

4 garlic cloves crushed

2 onions

safron pinch

1 tbsp horseraddish

2 tbsp ginger

1 tsp sea salt

2 cup castor sugar

Zest lemons and reserve juice lemons, then place zest juice water and

Vinegar in a non metallic bowl for 24 hours.

Mince all ingredients in robo coup and place on simmer reduce to chutney

Like consistency

Poached Pears

5OO ML of red wine pinot noir is good

1 stick of cinnamom

1 star anise

3 white pepper corns

125 grams of sugar

3 coriander seeds

1 clove

Method

Place all ingredients in pot and simmer allowing all flavours to infuse then add 2 -3 pears peeled leave core in poach slowly do not boil you want a firm texture not soggy.

Dish Presentation

Place quail into hot fryer and fry till skin is golden takes about 2-3 minutes take out and finish in oven for about 4 minutes

Take pears out of poaching liquid and slice into equal segements the lay 1 piece of crispy prosciutto then place crispy quail on top

Then add a small t-spoon of relish on top of quail

Salad garnish

Pick some fresh mint chervil and dill toss in olive oil and a little lemon juice.

The recipe has come from David Spanner, Executive Chef at Livebait Manchester.

Livebait seafood and fresh fish restaurant is housed in a stunning Grade 2 listed building which is tucked away on the edge of Albert Square right in the heart of Manchester’s city centre. The restaurant dedicates its menu mainly to fish and seafood dishes and executive chef, David Spanner is intent on showcasing the true beauty and simplicity of fresh fish. The restaurant boasts an excellent wine and champagne list fit to accompany any seafood feast.

 

www.livebaitmanchester.com

 

www.livebaitleeds.com

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